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Posts Tagged ‘sleep disorders’

As we get older we notice many changes to our bodies. The need for reading glasses being one of them. The other one being that we just do not sleep as well as we used to. Well these two issues may very well be connected. In a study done at University of Kansas by Dr. Patricia Turner M. D., “as the eye ages the pupil gets small and the lens absorbs more light. These two issues work together to decrease circadian photoreception” A fancy way of saying the eye is not as able to absorb different spectrums of light then it used to be. So the part of the eye that helps regulate our bodies just does not work as well.

This inability to judge absorb adequate light can lead to problems such as insomnia depression, or other issues.

So would I bring up this problem if I did not have an answer for you to help you. It appears according to this article that indoor lighting might be a contributor to the problem because it is not as bright and it is heavier on the blue spectrum of light. One thing that might help if you are having issues of insomnia or depression is to go outside. The light outside is brighter it has all the light spectrum so it will allow you to absorb more of the light you need. A second thing you can do is make sure your eyes are as healthy as can be. Go see an optometrist once a year. Lastly if your vision is poor and you seem to be having issues you might want to talk to your doctor about Melatonin supplements.

It is always interesting how research seems to prove the ideas our mothers used to tell us. Like go outside and play, you will feel better and sleep better.